(Continued from Alina’s Bio)

Fisher had lost everything in those years he had spent bellow the Sheona Castle...or at least everything that mattered. He had been stripped of every ounce of pride and dignity. He’d been betrayed by his family and forgotten by his friends...He’d lost so much of himself too: many fragments of his mind and body. Although, when he had seen Alina’s tauntingly beautiful face through the bared door of his cage, the fae dared to hope that he still had his childhood friend.

Then, Alina had throw her head back and laughed at the sight of him, chained and broken.

“I can’t believe you actually need a princess to save you from this.” She said with a chuckle. “Breaking in here was easy.”

That was when Fisher remembered that Alina still hated him; the flicker of hope inside of him was instantly squandered. Fisher didn’t blame the pearlcatcher for hating him though. He had been terrible to her in that long ago, but he had to admit it would have been nice to know at least one dragon in the world cared if he was dead or alive. It would have given him a reason to stay.

The fae didn’t struggle as Alina picked him up and took to the skies. The prince knew they were going to the Sheona Kingdom. Fisher wasn’t scared though. He had gotten a bomb disguised as **** that could kill both himself and the thing in him from a serthis. No one knew, but that had been the real reason he had allowed himself to get caught by the serthis—to put an end to his life.

“Pleassse give usss time to flee.” The serthis had told the fae, with pleading eyes and shaking paws. “But when the time isss right, pleassse do it quick, before it noticesss.”

Fisher had faithfully intended to wait just as the serthis had asked, but now that Alina had come into the picture, the fae had formed a new plan. The prince would wait until he was brought to his childhood home and then, he would consume that **** so that all the dragons that had experimented on him would perish with him and no other dragon would ever experience the horrors he had.

Alina wouldn’t meet that fate though. Fisher would wait until she was long gone. The fae knew that was foolish deep down, but he couldn’t bring himself to kill the pearlcatcher. Not when the memories of her from that long ago were so clear to him...

~

He had been in love with her, since he was a hatchling. He’d do whatever she told him to do, even if it meant breaking the rules. They’d sneak out of the castle often in those many months Fisher had spent in Shadethorn Castle. When they were free of the guards’ watchful eye, they’d pretend to be heroes they had read about in books and get into even more trouble.

At first, Fisher had played with Alina because his parents had told him to do so, but the fae never had to be told a second time. He loved playing with Alina because she was like him. Unlike their siblings and their parents, neither of them had magic. Alina couldn’t create any spells like her mother and Fisher didn’t possess an ounce of water magic like his father.

Since Fisher’s father, King Nemo, had such powerful water magic—powerful enough that one could see it just by looking in his eyes—nearly everyone had been disappointed by Fisher’s inability to yield water magic. Even his own mother and father looked at him with apparent dissatisfaction. Although, Alina never made him feel like a disappointment and that was probably why the pearlcatcher quickly became a precious part of the fae’s tiny heart.

Fisher’s parents did however to become increasingly kinder to him as he and Alina grew closer. They finally stopped hitting him. They even eventually stopped taking him to his elder sister, Barnaby, who would often pluck scales from Fisher’s hide.

Fisher was very much terrified of Barnaby, but he never told anyone, not even Alina, about the sibling his parents would occasionally leave him in the care of. His parents had made it clear that telling anyone would have painful consequences.

Although, Fisher had hoped that his parents’ growing tenderness was a result of them no longer caring that he didn’t have magic. The fae soon learned though, after overhearing an argument between his parents and Alina’s through a closed door, that wasn’t the case.

For some time, Fisher’s parents had been trying to combine the Shadethorn Kingdom and the Sheona Kingdom by arranging a marriage between Fisher and Alina. However, Alina’s parents, Queen Hope and King Triumphant had been adamant about waiting until their daughter was old enough make that decision on her own, which had lead Fisher’s parents to believe their chances of gaining control of the Shadethorn Kingdom were exceedingly slim, since most dragons, Fisher’s parents included, never willingly agreed to have prearranged marriages.

Although, Fisher’s miraculous friendship with Alina had changed all that. It gave the rulers of the Sheona Kingdom grounds to argue that, since Alina clearly liked being around Fisher, arranging a marriage between the hatchlings wouldn’t be cruel. It also made Fisher a much more valuable paw in their game.

Once the prince had pieced all of that information together, the prince had run away with tears streaming down his cheeks. The hatchling had instinctively headed straight to Alina’s bedroom as he cried. As soon as Alina cracked her bedroom door open for the fae, she didn’t hesitate to pull the fae into a tight embrace.

“What happened, Fisher?” She asked, eyes wide with concern.

“I-I d-don’t ma-matter—not to an-anyone.” The fae sobbed into Alina’s warm, scaly neck.

Alina wrapped her bony arms tighter around Fisher.

“That’s not true, Fisher!” The princess promised. “You matter to me.”

Fisher pulled back to look up at Alina as he sniffed a few times. Their gazes locked. Alina didn’t break away from that gaze either. She stared at the fae without so much as flinching. I mean it, she seemed to say.

Fisher felt hot tears threatening to spill over his eyelids again. Her words meant the world to him. They were always the one thing that kept him from falling into the abyss of despair. Even then when he was just a hatchling, they made him realize just how far he’d go for her.

He would die for her.

And that truth hadn’t changed, even after Alina had grown to hate him. The fae knew he’d still lay down his life for her sake.

~

When Fisher felt it moving beneath his skin and heard the arrow hit Alina’s wing, the only thing he could think was that he had to get away from Alina, but the pearlcatcher held him with an iron grip.

Where are you, sister-brother? Voices that were both male and female at once whispered in the back of Fisher’s mind.

No, no, no, no. Fisher thought. He knew those voices. Suddenly, the thing gleefully lurched inside Fisher and the fae felt his body involuntarily twist with it. Pain deep and violent zigzagged across his back.

I’m right here. It cooed in Fisher’s mind, sending chills down the fae’s spine.

No. Fisher thought. He couldn’t go back to that. He had to escape—had to get out. The fae frantically tried to wiggle and clawing at Alina’s paws as the wind howled in his ears. Vibrant memories of Barnaby’s labs—of blood, corpses and his own limps moving without his control flashed in his mind

Did you really think you could kill us, Fisher? It purred.

Please. The fae silently begged as his body trembled. Please, not now. Alina was going to die. He could feel the thing’s desire to devour her coursing through his own flesh.

I thought you didn’t care who I ate?

Please! The fae screamed internally as he fruitlessly tried to create some distance between him and Alina. He knew he wouldn’t be able to fight the thing once it awakened fully. He was far to weak so the fae just begged the thing as he and Alina plummeted through the air.

The thing responded with a rumbling laughter that pulsed through him.

“What you are doing, idiot?!” Alina shouted somewhere far away. “We’re both going down no matter what!”

Come down, sister-brother. We are ready. Those ancient voices beckoned to the thing inside Fisher.

“You don’t get it! It wants out,” the prince claimed as his entire body, from snout to tail, began trembling. “And th-they’ve come to fr-free it.”

Fisher realized, with growing terror, that once he hit the ground, the thing would have full control. And his nightmares would begin anew.

“What the heck does that even mean?!” Alina screamed.

Fisher tilted his head back far enough so he could look into his former childhood’s friend’s eyes. He still had the bomb tucked beneath his scales. He could easily use it right now and end it for them both. It could save him from all the horrors the thing had in store for him, but when he looked into Alina’s beautiful ocean blue eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“What have happened to you, Fisher.” She stated, her gaze unflinching as always.

“I’m sorry,” the fae apologized, lips trembling. “I’m sorry if I kill you.”

He hoped those weren’t the last words he spoke to her. He hoped one day he’d get the chance to tell her everything and apologize to her. He hoped he’d be able to tell her he loved her.

He hoped, even though he knew the much more likely outcome.

~

Fisher always felt everything whenever the Shade took over. He felt his boy get torn apart and the indescribable pain that followed. He felt it use his mouth to speak and eyes to see. Although, Fisher only got to ear and see whatever the thing wanted him too. Most the time, the thing left him with nothing but pain to feel in absolute darkness and silence.

Today was different though because the thing was keenly aware of how Fisher felt about Alina and how it destroyed Fisher to see Alina look at him with such horror. The prince had never wanted Alina to see the Shade within in him. He had begged the thing to stay hidden, but that only made it want to show itself to Alina more.

Don’t worry my sweet, Fisher. It had whispered to him as it has used his eyes to scour every inch of her body. We’ll get to do everything you wanted to do with her. I’ll get her on her back and hold her down—

No! Fisher screamed in the back of its mind. No-no-no—Please, no!

Why not?

Please! I’ll do anything, just no don’t do it to her!

“Virekius!” Alina shouted, with rage blazing in her sapphire eyes.

Instantly, Fisher’s vision flickered out and all that was visible was an endless void of black. The fae felt the wet earth smash against several pieces of him. His cuts started stinging as they were smooshed into the mud.

What’s happening? Fisher demanded. What did you do?

She’s a witch! Why didn’t you tell me she was one?!

Fisher felt the pieces of his body quickly twisting around and brushing against stone as their controller struggled to resemble himself. The thing was clearly panicked. Fisher could sense it.

You never asked. The fae imagined that if he had control of his body in that moment, he would have smiled. Of course, Alina, the warrior-witch princess would be able to scare the Shade.

The thing controlling him let out what resembled a low internal grow. You’ll pay for this, pet. Once my Sister-brothers free me from your mortal skin, I will...

Silence fell upon Fisher.

What? You will what? The fae asked with growing concern. He tried draw on his sense of touch, but even that sense seemed to disappear. For a horrifying moment, the prince thought that this existence might be the Shade’s punishment and that he’d be trapped here for eternity.

Goodness, she never moved like that in your memories. The thing muttered.

Fisher’s vision suddenly flashed back and the fae saw Alina, leaping and twisting in the air like a dancer to avoid the serthis’s attacks. Her magic swirled and coiled with her body as she moved. Whenever the light, which managed to pierce through the pine’s branches, hit the billowing tendrils of Alina’s magic, the magic seemed to sparkle.

Not to mention the fact that even as the serthis’s blood splattered on her snout, she still looked gorgeous.

Fisher braced himself for the sight of her being shredded alive and the sound of her scream. Although, the thing didn’t lunge for her. Instead, it just hovered in the air, watching Alina fight. It allowed Fisher to watch too for some reason.

What are you doing? Fisher asked, growing anxious. This had to be some trap or a game. Or maybe the Shade was just taunting him with one last look at Alina before it killed her.

I think I might actually miss this. The Shade admitted.

What do you mean? Fisher demanded. There was something off about the feeling attached to that thing’s last thought. The feeling felt heavy, deep and full of longing. The sensation had to be the thing’s desire to devour Alina—It had to be.

Its not that...It’s the wanting that I will miss, Fisher. My kind—we don’t want like yours does. We only devour. That’s how we have always been too—long before the gods and their spawn. Although, just like you changed when you became apart of me, I changed when I became apart of you...and now I want...but that will change once I am free.

Fisher was about to ask the thing what it did want, but that was before the serthis finally managed to knock Alina to the ground. Then, they kept her down by throwing themselves on top of her.

Get up, Alina, Fisher begged from inside the Shade.

Alina tried to twist and claw her way from under the serthis, but it was no use.

Come on, Alina. Come on.

One of the serthis drew it’s danger and raised it up. The creature then started to angle it towards Alina’s exposed neck.

Alina—please—get up!

Fisher.

What?! Fisher demanded. This was it. Alina—the last dragon in the world that he truly cared for—She was going to die.

Swear to me that you won’t kill us and I’ll save her.

This is a trick?

The serthis started to swing that blade down towards Alina’s neck. She was the last piece of his fractured heart and Fisher was going to watch her perish.

Swear it, pet! There’s no place on the other side for my kind and I need to know I won’t go there before I cross this line.

Fisher didn’t have time to fully comprehend the weight of the thing’s words, but in that moment, the only thing Fisher cared about was saving Alina.

I swear.

Instantly, Fisher felt his body parts get shot forward by the thing’s shadowy essence. From there, he and the thing slammed into the serthis so fast, Fisher’s head spun, quite literally. The serthis hissed as the thing within him groaned internally. However, Fisher and the Shade remained, floating infront of Alina to shield her from the serthis.

“Traitor!” The serthis shrieked at the thing as they bore their fangs.

“You. Don’t. Touch. Her.” Fisher growled.

The fae’s eyes went wide when he realized that was his voice that had came out moments ago. The dragon glanced down at his front legs and was amazed to see the Shade sinking beneath his skin as his flesh was fused together once again.

“Pet, I have to go. It drains me when I fight my kin.”

“We do not lisssten to the god-ssspawn!” The serthis roared as they drew their daggers and charged Fisher’s direction.

Wait! Don’t leave! Fisher thought, in frantic hope that the Shade in him would hear. It was probably for the first time in his entire life when he’d ever asked the Shade to take control of him. I don’t know how to fight!

When silence only thing that answered and the serthis kept racing towards him, the fae realized this was it. He was going to die.

I’m sorry, Alina, The fae thought to himself as he squeezed his eyes shut and bowed his head. The only thing he knew he had left to give to her now was time to escape. He hoped deep in his heart that it would be enough.

The fae braced himself for the serthis’s blades...and kept bracing himself. A couple minutes passed where the fae just stood there, with his eyes tightly shut and his head down.

The serthis couldn’t possibly be that slow to kill him, right?

The fae cracked one eye open slightly. What the prince saw made him instantly leap back.

“Wha—!” The fae gasped as he blinked at the serthis.

The serthis’s dagger’s had only been a few inches from his skull, but they hadn’t moved because the serthis had been turned to solid stone. A shiver went down the fae’s spine as he saw the look of primordial hatred that remained frozen of the serthis’s faces.

We will find you again, Sister-bother. That horrifying male and female voice whispered inside Fisher’s skull. The prince went completely still. Next time though, our host bodies will be much stronger.

Fisher felt his knees start shaking.

Relax, pet. It will take eons from them to do that and you’ll probably be gone by then. Fisher started to feel the thing turn his head back. You should focus on your mate.

Once the fae’s Head was turned completely, Fisher’s heart stopped beating.

Alina was lying on the ground behind him. Bloody gashes marred her body and the arrow, which had caused her plummet into the forest, was still in her wing. Her eyes were closed and her body was completely motionless. She looked like she was dead.

“Alina!” Fisher cried as he dashed to her side.

Gods, he hoped he wasn’t too late.

~

Fisher’s parents hadn’t been anything like Alina’s. King Nemo and Queen Taffy had never loved each other like King Triumphant and Queen Hope had. The Sheona Kingdom’s rulers had been forced into an arranged marriage at early age and hated each other ever since. Although, despite that hatred, they agreed on a lot of things.

They both believed that even though Fisher was their only son and thus the only one who was eligible to take throne according to Sheonian tradition, he would be far more useful as weapon than a successor. Although even though they wanted their son to vanquish their enemies, the rulers still both wanted make sure Fisher was reliant on them. For this reason, they never taught their son how to fight on his own or how to survive in the wilderness. They didn’t even bother to show him how to bandage his own wounds.

That was why Fisher cursed both their names as he pathetically scrapped two rocks against each other to get a fire going. Tears started to blur the fae’s vision as snow began to fall on the small pile of wood he assembled.

Alina had spent all of her magic to save him and her sacrifice would be in vain.

The fae set down the two stones he had been banging together and turned back to look at the princess. She hadn’t moved, even after he dragged her into a massive hollowed-out log to keep from getting covered by the falling snow. The pearlcatcher looked so peaceful and serene with her head resting in her forearms. The prince stretched out his own arm towards her and gently gripped one of her wrists with his boney fingers, feeling for a pulse.

She still had a one. For now.

Fisher shallowed hard as he looked down at his princess. He slowly slid his grip from her wrist to her paw, which was unnervingly cold. The fae wished he could have been one of the heroic princes in the fairytales that had the ability to awaken any fair maiden with a kiss. Although, Fisher knew he really wasn’t much of a hero...and that Alina would probably kill him if she woke up to find him kissing her.

“Why are you holding my paw, Fisher?” Alina growled.

With a squeal that was much higher pitched than he’d like to admit, Fisher practically leapt out of his scales.

“Alina, y-you’re awake?” Fisher gasped, wide-eyed.

“No, I just sleeping with my eyes open,” Alina told him, with a smirk. The pearlcatcher started to lift up her head, but decided against after she winced.

The prince took a step closer to the princess.

“Does it hurt?”

“Everything hurts.” The princess groaned as her gaze drifted behind Fisher. “Although, I guess I shouldn’t be sur—Wait, were you trying to make a fire?”

The fae followed Alina’s eyes to his shabby wood pile. The fae then glanced down at his paws.

“Yes.” He confessed.

He expected Alina, the fierce heroine who had been trained to survive wilderness at the age of three, to laugh at him. Although, Alina didn’t laugh or mock him. The pearlcatcher just remained quiet as she extended one of her arms toward the clump of wood.

“Ignitus.” The pearlcatcher whispered.

Instantly, swirling magic, with an orange glow, oozed from the underside of talons and drifted to the firewood. As soon as the magic touched the wood, the pile burst into a blazing gold and orange fire. Fisher just stared at the tiny inferno and tried to surpress that flicked of envy he felt in his chest. Of course, fire-making would be easy for a magic wielding princess.

The fae sat down next too Alina’s log and curled his tail around his paws. You should be grateful, the fae reminded himself. Without her magic, you both would have died.

“Thank you.” The prince croaked as he kept his eyes on the fire.

There was a long moment that passed where Alina and Fisher sat there, watching the flames dance and listening to the wood pop as it heated up. There were so many things the fae wanted to say to Alina...but he didn’t know where to begin.

You should tell her that you love her. The thing inside him chimed in.

I can’t just blurt it out. Fisher retorted.

Why not?

You just don’t randomly tell someone that kind of thing.

You’re just scared to do it.

I am not! Fisher mentally shouted back, even as the mere thought of telling the princess such a thing was making his paws sweat and his heart race.

If you don’t tell her, I am going too.

Fisher’s heart stopped beating.

No. Please, please don’t—

“Fisher,” Alina started to say, pulling the fae’s and thing’s attention back to the things outside. “You know, if you had left me behind and kept heading South, you would have already made it to the Sheona Kingdom.”

“I couldn’t leave you.” The fae protested, softy.

Alina looked straight at Fisher, with the infamous ocean-blue gaze that seemed to burn through his soul.

“The Fisher I knew wouldn’t have cared.”

Fisher swallowed as he ignored the instinct to look away. There were many dangers that came with telling the truth. Even if she didn’t believe him and laughed at him, there was the possibility that he’d put her endanger if they became as close as they used to be when they were kids. The Shade inside him could always take control and harm her whenever it liked.

I wouldn’t do that. The thing argued.

Even with that outcome aside, his parents would stop at nothing to get their weapon back so they could eliminate their enemies...

Fisher, she just turned two serthis to stone? Do you really think those rulers pose a real threat to her.

I can’t take the risk. Fisher thought just before he opened his mouth to say—

“Alina Dearest, my pet has something he has been meaning to tell you.” The thing told her with his mouth as a bit of black smoke puffed from his nostrils.

The pearlcatcher quickly sat up, with all her muscles tensed.

Fisher let out a long sigh.

“Don’t worry. It would have harmed you already if it was planning on do so.”

“What exactly is it?” The princess questioned as she remained tense as ever. Her gaze shot over every inch of the fae. The fae imagined that she was probably expecting the thing inside him to tear his body apart and take full control like it had hours ago.

The prince bit his lower lip.

“A piece of the Shade,” he informed, softly.

“How?” Alina demanded, her voice urgent.

“It’s a long story.” The fae admitted as he cast his gaze on the ground.

Much to Fisher’s surprise, Alina slowly reached out and gently grasped one of his paws with her own.

“I want to know, Fisher.” She told him as she squeezed his paw.

The fae looked back into those beautiful blue eyes. Her gaze was full of so much warmth and earnestness. The prince knew he was far to weak to say no to her when she looked at him like that.

“Okay.” The prince said.

~

The fae told Alina as much as he could about the labs his parent’s had sent him to. He explained how his older sister, Barnaby, had experimented on him. The thing inside spoke up occasionally to add his perspective on what the fae described to Alina as well. Although, there were some memories that were so horrifying Fisher knew he couldn’t talk about them...not yet at least, without going back to that dark place in his mind, so he veered away from those tales.

Fisher even found himself telling Alina about how he fled the Sheona Kingdom’s castle to find the weapon the serthis created that was allegedly able to destroy even the Shade itself. He felt Shade inside of him take control over the ears and head fins when he talked about the serthis’s weapon.

The thing didn’t make a move to talk hold of his mouth though, much to the fae’s surprise. Instead, it just waited inside Fisher and kept looking through the fae’s eyes to see Alina’s expression. It was nervous, Fisher realized. Nervous to see if Alina would want to use that weapon to destroy it, but far too curious about Alina’s desires to stop him from speaking.

“So there’s no way to use it without killing you?” Alina asked, her scaly brows furrowed in concern.

The thing inside him started curling around itself anxiously at the sound of her question.

Fisher shook his head.

Alina edged a little closer to Fisher.

“You know,” the princess began to say, her voice hushed in a futile attempt to keep the Shade from hearing, “witchcraft doesn’t always obey the traditional rules that govern magic in Sornieth. There could be a way—“

“I know,” the prince cut in, “But I can’t.”

Alina and the thing inside him were both taken aback.

“Why?”

I would like to ask the same question as well. I thought you still wanted me gone deep down?

“I owe it a debt, Alina. I,” the fae shied away from her gaze, “I almost lost you to those serthis and if it hadn’t saved you...” The fae squeezed his eyes and shook his head. He didn’t want to think about it.

“Wait, you mean it was the one who knocked the serthis back?” The pearlcatcher questioned, with her head cocked and a single brow raised.

The fae nodded.

“Well,” Alina admitted, with a softening expression, “I guess I owe it an apology and thank you then.”

“Oh, you never have to thank me, Alina Dearest. It was my pleasure.” The thing purred as it started to make Fisher’s gaze to drift over towards Alina’s rear end.

Fisher quickly covered his eyes with his paws.

“Stop it!” He shrieked. “Stop looking at her like that or I swear I will claw my eyes out and we’ll both be blind.”

Alina burst out laughing. Fisher slowly removed his paws and found himself unable hold back smile when saw his best friend guffawing. The pearlcatcher had one of the best laughs. It was kind of laugh that was never faked and full of the highest volumes.

“We seriously need to give that thing a name.” Alina declared, once she regained her composure. “Because if I start warning people that it’s a pervert and pointing at you, other dragons are going to get very confused.”

Fisher and thing both grinned at that statement.

“What do you propose, Alina Dearest?” The thing cooed as dark gas has oozed in and out of the fae’s mouth.

“Veriko.” Alina told the thing as wicked grin curled up her snout.

“Oh, Veeeriiiko.” The thing took time to stretch out every syllable in its new name. “It is an old word from the ancient witch’s tongue, isn’t it?”

“Why yes.” Alina replied, coyly. “Do you want to know what it means?”

Veriko made Fisher’s body lean even closer to Alina’s.

“Do tell.”

“Veriko is a term my ancestors used to describe the warm noxious gasses they would occasionally expel from an area beneath their tails.”

Alina couldn’t possibly keep a straight face after that. The pearlcatcher started snickering and Fisher instantly joined in with her.

What’s so funny? Veriko asked, stiffly.

She is calling you Fart, The fae thought back in the midst of his laughter.

Veriko took control of the fae’s body and halted all of his laughter. All of Fisher’s joy was suddenly shallowed by dread. Veriko had to be mad. Mad enough to tear Alina to shreds. The fae could sense it.

“I will most certainly not be named Fart. You have to find with another name.”

Fisher held his breath and silently begged Alina to apologize.

“Heh, I hate to break it to you, Veriko, but that’s not how names work.” The pearlcatcher informed him, with a fanged grin.

“What do you mean?”

“A name isn’t something you get to choose. How else you think Fisher would get a middle name like Marilyn?”

“Well, that’s different. Fisher is weak and incompetent. I, however, am the one who almost destroyed the eleven deities of this world.”

“Almost.” Alina echoed, with another grin.

Gods, Alina. Veriko is the Shade. What are you doing?

Veriko moved so close to Alina that they shared a smoke-filled breath of air. Alina didn’t even flinch as she breathed in a bit of Shade’s inky-black essence.

“Consider yourself fortunate, little princess, that I like you.” Veriko growled, terrifyingly quiet, and then, pulled away from the pearlcatcher.

“You should consider yourself fortunate too, Veriko,” Alina warned as she examined her talons, “Because I would have destroyed you long ago if I didn’t care for the skin you wear.”

~

Fisher spent the next six days trying to keep from freezing to death and fussy over Alina’s wounds as the princess and Veriko kept trying to convince each other that they were the most powerful. Much to Fisher’s utter surprise, Alina seemed to be winning that battle. She was still healing from her fight with the serthis so her magic and physical strength wasn’t at its best. However, Alina still used the the fact that, even after she had been drained, she could still use some of her magic and fight, without clinging to another life form for energy, to prove that her magic was much superior. Veriko, however, did not submit to Alina’s ideology so quickly and had plenty of tales of witches who had died to prove other wise.

For a while, Fisher was absolutely terrified that Veriko would devour Alina for becoming such an annoyance. Although, the more Alina fought him, the more the Shade seemed to grow fond of her. Fisher was starting realize too that this fondness went a little deeper than friendship, but he didn’t press Veriko about it. He could feel that the Shade didn’t like these new feelings he had towards Alina and they truly did terrify him.

Do you regret betraying your Sister-brothers? Fisher had asked it one night as he lied in the snow bank next to another one of Alina’s blazing fires.

It still amazed the fae how he had once been so deathly afraid of the thing beneath his skin. He had always tried to avoid acknowledging it at all costs in fear that he’d wake it up. Now, talking with Veriko was such a normal and daily part of his routine that whenever the Shade did go to sleep beneath his skin, the fae’s mind felt empty somehow.

I thought that I would, but I don’t, honestly. I feel more alive here, more so than I have ever felt before. I don’t think I could ever give that up.

The fae was silent for a while as he thought about what Veriko had said. The small dragon glanced over at the pearlcatcher snoozing inside the log next to him. The orange firelight made her skin appear as if it was glowing.

Veriko?

Yes?

Do you think witches are stronger than the Shade?

Do not tell Alina I said this, but I hope so. That would mean she’d have a chance if my stronger Sister-brothers came back.

Fisher froze.

I thought you said it would take eons for them to return.

That’s true for those two fragments Alina defeated, but not for the other more-powerful pieces spread across Sornieth.

Are we putting Alina at risk then Veriko by staying here? Fisher questioned as his heart filled with dread.

When Veriko had started to act friendly, or at least as friendly as the Shade could be, towards Alina, Fisher had allowed himself to hope that maybe it wouldn’t be selfish to stay with the pearlcatcher after all. Maybe, he would never have to be cruel to her to keep her safe ever again...

Served him right for thinking he could ever be happy.

Yes, we’d be possibly putting her in danger...but can’t we take the risk? Veriko replied.

You realize if she dies because of us, you’ll never see her again and we’ll have to live with the fact we are the reason she’s gone.

But what good is wanting something when you can never have it?

You should have went with your Sister-brothers, Veriko. The fae bitterly thought as he clenched his paws into fists. Desire only leads to pain in this world.

That’s not true. Your want only causes you pain because you are never willing to take a risk to get what you desire. If you just told Alina you loved her—

I’m never going to tell her that! Get that into your tiny gas brain! She’d be disgusted if I told her and even if she wasn’t, I’d never want her to be stuck with a wretch like me.

The fae felt hot tears pathetically threatening to spill over his eyelids.

Fisher, have you not seen how she looks at you?

Be quiet.

Fisher—

I said be quiet!

The fae laid there watching campfire’s flames dance. He waited for Veriko to shout something back him or perhaps take control of his body just to physically harm him. Although, the sound of crackling wood and Alina’s snoring were the only noises that filled the quiet in his mind.

Veriko?

The fae waited, but no response came.

~

When Fisher woke up next morning, Alina was already up and busy filling her satchel a small pile of glowing mushrooms. The fae yawned as he slowly moved to a standing position. The fae was about to say good morning to Alina, but the memories of the conversation he had with Veriko, which came rushing back to him all at once, made him pause.

Alina flicked her gaze up to the fae once she had safely tucked away the last mushroom in her satchel.

“You know a witch really only needs three hours of sleep. Seems like you need more.” The pearlcatcher told the fae with a grin.

Fisher just stared blankly at Alina. Alina raised a scaly eyebrow at the fae’s expression.

“You got no response to that, Veriko?” The pearlcatcher taunted.

Fisher just shook his head.

“He’s not here.” The fae informed, weakly.

“Oh,” Alina said, tilting her head to the side, “Is he asleep?”

The fae nodded and silently hoped that was the true. The Shade inside had never just stopped talking to him before like it had last night...

“Well, remind me to tease him about all the beauty sleep he needs when he wakes up.” The pearlcatcher stated, still grinning deviously.

The pearlcatcher slung her satchel over her shoulder and walked towards the fae.

“You ready to head?”

Fisher shallowed. He wasn’t ready for this just yet.

“What about your wings?” The fae questioned as he eyed the rips and dried blood covering her spruce-painted wing webbing. “Don’t you want to wait until you can remove the stitches?”

“Eh,” the pearlcatcher answered with a shrug, “My legs are fine so I don’t really see the harm in getting a move on.”

“Where are we going?” The fae asked, heart pounding. He had been dreading this for so long.

Alina frowned at the prince.

“Where do you think? I’m obviously taking you to the Shadethorn Kingdom.”

Fisher’s heart just stopped right then and there.

“What?” The pearlcatcher demanded, frowning more deeply, “Do you really think I’d actually take you back to the Sheona Kingdom after everything they did to you?” The pearlcatcher looked the prince right in the eye as she took a step closer to him. “I’m never letting your parents or that sister of yours so much as touch you; do you understand?”

“Y-your supposed to h-hate me.” Fisher squeaked as his lips trembled.

Sadness glistened in her sapphire eyes.

“Fisher, is that what you really think?”

Fisher squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. No, he couldn’t let this happen. He couldn’t risk losing her—he couldn’t live with himself if it was his fault that her eyes never opened again...

“No.” The fae stated as he opened his eyes and stared right into the princess’s.

He had to do this. He had to.

“I think you’re still that weak little female who’s gullible enough to believe in secret laboratories beneath the Sheona Kingdom. I can’t believe you’d actually think I would ever want to live in such a place where females like you are allowed to run wild.” The prince lied as he forced himself to smile wickedly.

Alina took a step back and blinked at the prince with wide eyes.

That’s it. Hate me. Fight me. Kill me, the fae roared on the inside even as he his heart shriveled away. He had always known the tentative friendship they had built in the last few days wasn’t made to last. Nothing good in his life ever did.

“That’s why you did it, isn’t it?” The princess responded There was no anger or contempt in her voice. There was only that look of her’s that striped him bare and bore into his very soul.

“What do you mean?” Fisher piped up as his knees shook. The fae tried to reach down inside himself to find that actor-prince who had pretended to relish in pain and hatred. Although, most of that pretender had been torn out to make room the Shade long ago.

“You know, for longest time the reason behind your sudden hatred haunted me. I could never piece together a good explanation for it. We had been the best of friends before my twelfth birthday and I had thought nothing would change that.” Fisher couldn’t look the princess in the eyes as the painful memories of that long ago flashed in his mind. He had to look down at his paws.

“I knew you didn’t believe females were weak and that you were just parroting your father.” Alina accused.

Fisher froze as he suddenly realized what Alina had already discovered.

“The only explanation left,” the pearlcatcher continued, “was that there must been something I had done wrong. Some slip up I had made that lead you to hate me. Or perhaps it was my mannerisms or my personality or some other fundamental part of me. I was so concerned about myself during those years...Although, Fisher,” Alina suddenly reached out to tilt the fae’s chin up so their gazes met, “I should have been worried about you.”

“I did it because I was jealous!” Fisher rushed to tell the princess, barely pausing between words. “I hated that you had powers and I didn’t—I was a jealous monster—I wanted to hurt you—I didn’t feel regret when I did it either!”

It was the truth...sort of.

Alina suddenly pulled her paw away from him. Hurt rippled in her blue eyes and it made Fisher’s heart tear even more.

You have to do this, he reminded himself.

“He’s lying, Alina.”

What are you doing?! Fisher shrieked as Veriko took hold of his entire body and black smoke flew into the air.

I’m not letting you give this up, Fisher. You’ve lost enough.

“Sure, he was jealous during your birthday party,” Veriko explained aloud, “but he regretted every minute of what he did on that stage. Not to mention, everything he did after that was to protect you too. How exactly was his rudeness a form of protection you might ask?” The Shade asked before Alina could say anything. “Well, my pet knew I was going to be put inside of him and was well aware that his parents would use him to hunt down every member of the Shadethorn Kingdom’s royal family. He determined that because of that, the further you were from him, the safer you’d be. That’s why he had to make you hate him to keep you away.”

Alina slowly stepped back to avoid wave Veriko’s ebony tendrils from surrounding her head.

“Is this true, Fisher?” The princess asked, her voice oddly soft and her eyes wide.

Don’t lie to her, Veriko growled as he retracted back inside of Fisher, along with his wispy obsidian strands.

Once Fisher had his body back and he was one looking into the princess’s eyes, the prince felt hot tears welling in the corners of his vision.

I can’t do this. If I loose her—

I know, pet, but I will make sure that doesn’t happen. I shall defend her with every ounce of my being.

“Fisher?” Alina piped in, with eyes full of worry.

Do you shear it?

I do. I swear it on the very essence of my being.

“It’s,” the prince admitted as tears began to fall down his cheeks, “tr-true. Do you h-hate me f-for—“

Fisher couldn’t finish his sentence as a fit of sobs overtook him. The fae crumbled too his knees and his entire body shook with his wails. Although, Alina was there in a heartbeat. She wrapped her arms and wings around him. Her warmth caressed the prince’s scales and made him finally realize just how cold he had been.

“Fisher, how on earth do you possibly think I could hate you after everything you’ve done?” The pearlcatcher assured him, her breath warming his head fins.

Fisher sobbed harder. He hadn’t realized how badly he needed this—that feeling that somebody cared about him. The fae buried his head to Alina’s neon green chest and stayed that way for a while. The princess just held him the whole time and listened to the sound of cries until they became soft sniffles.

You know what now would be a good time for?

Be quiet.

I’m going to tell her if you don’t.

You—You wouldn’t, Fisher thought as his heart thundered in his chest.

I most certainly will.

Please, Veriko.

Come on, pet. She clearly likes us.

How do you know?

Trust me, Fisher.

Fisher shallowed loud enough to make a sound and ever so slowly lifted his head to look into the eyes of the princess that he cared for so deeply. Alina smiled weakly back at him.

“Alina, I—” Fisher started to say, but the words got in his throat

Gods, Veriko, I can’t.

Yes, you can, pet.

The fae couldn’t look into her eyes so he quickly squeezed his shut.

“I love you, Alina.”

When Fisher cracked his eyes open, Alina was starring at him, wide-eyed and speechless.

“I know it’s a bit sudden,” Fisher began rambling, “and that this might not be the right time, but it’s true—Although, you don’t have to feel the same way—I know that it would be unfair to ask—“

Alina cut him off with a kiss, right on the lips.

Fisher had vomited on the snow bank next to them after that. The prince had apologized a thousand times for it, but Alina hadn’t been disgusted. She just laughed and kissed him on the forehead and assured him that it was fine.

Even as she spoke, Fisher had trouble believing it all. He have expected to wake up and realize every good moment with Alina had all been a dream. Although, Fisher never woke up from this new reality, even as the days passed and the two dragons finally caught a glimpse of the Shadethorn Castle’s obsidian spires...



Trivia

Familiar



~Silan the Flamescale Illusionist~

Silan was the serthis who had betrayed his entire species when he had given Fisher the bomb that was capable of destroying the Shade. Although, Silan still did it because he knew it would be wrong to leave a fae endure such pain and fear. When Silan’s siblings found out about his betrayal, they gleefully tortured him as punishment. Once Fisher became king of the new Sheonashade Kingdom, the fae found out about the serthis’s horrible fate and sent guards to rescue Silan. The soldiers fortunately brought Silan to the king’s castle in one piece. Fisher promised Silan that he could stay in the castle for as long as he liked.

Silan has been Fisher’s loyal supporter since that day and has made the Sheonashade castle his permanent place of residence. The fact that the two have endured unspeakable pain at the hands of their family members has enabled then to understand each other’s pain better than anyone else and has forged them into the best of friends. However, Silan is distrustful of Veriko to this day and still hasn’t destroyed the bomb Fisher returned to him, even though the fae asked him to destroy it...